Last Word, Sept. 9: Social Security, thank you and Rangers

Virginia Gazette

Virginia Gazette

The Virginia Gazette

Look out

There has been a huge tree limb leaning over a lane on News Road. I fear that, after a rain, it will come down on a moving vehicle. I don't know who would be responsible for cutting it back before it comes down on its own.

Keep it local

The Last Word is an important gauge on what our residents think about local issues. This is a deservedly popular feature of the Gazette, but could be improved by not publishing stale "insights" on national presidential candidates, submitted by members of campaigns for all we know. Do we really need more comments on how Hillary is dishonest about her emails or how arrogant Donald Trump is to want to build a wall? I would rather see more discussion of JCC Board of Supervisors, local politicians like Tommy Norment, Walt Zaremba, etc., and local and state elections where Williamsburg-James City County voters might actually be able to affect the outcome. If the national presidential elections creates a groundswell of interest, perhaps the editor could solicit comments on one topic per week, be it the economy, immigration, or whatever is current, and invite people to submit signed comments on that topic so that various perspectives could be aired and a focused discussion engaged.

Four corners

Does anybody know why we do not have a Statue of Liberty with the full welcoming inscription on the base facing South and West as we do facing only the European East ? Do we welcome only Europeans into to the good old U.S.A. these days ?

Respect the office

We're all sick of reading in Last Word all Republican junk about Trump and running down our president. Don't forget, the president was elected twice by the American people, and he is your president, no matter how bigoted you are. Let's have some respect for the office of president. Trump could never be president. His only ability is to run down not only Democrats but other Republicans as well. Can you imagine him being president, interfacing with foreign presidents? "You're fired" is not adequate or appropriate.

Value here?

I have a basketball jersey of Reggie Miller. I think it's autographed by him. And I was wondering if anyone can tell me if there's any monetary value or who I can contact to find that out. Thank you very much.

Drip, drip, drip

With Hillary Clinton's new emails, it's drip, drip, drip. If this were a Republican, the Democratic Party would have asked the person to be thrown out—any number of things against the person to remove them from ever serving in the government again. And, you know what? The Republican Party would agree and they would run for the hills from that person. But when it's a Democrat, it's amazing how the drip, drip, drip does nothing, absolutely nothing. She's still the number one candidate of the Democratic Party. It's a joke—it's an absolute joke. Remember Gonzalez? He was up for attorney general. Remember that? When there was the drip, drip, drip. Can't have him.

Social Security

What do the good people of Williamsburg think of the criterion of a new Social Security Cost of Living Adjustment (SS-COLA) Act: "The Social Security Cost of Living Adjustment (SS-COLA) shall be forever Tied and Equal to, the percentage change upward of Wages, Salaries &/or Benefits for any of the following: the Members or Leaders of the U.S. Senate or the House of Representatives, U.S. Federal Justices and Judges, or individuals in positions on the Executive Schedule (EX),--referred to as federal officials."

Confederate graves

Confederate soldiers , sailors, and Marines who fought in the Civil War were made U.S. veterans by an Act of Congress in 1957 ( U.S. public Law 85-425. Sec 410, Approved 23 May 1927). Additionally, under U.S. Public Law 810, approved by the 17th Congress on 26 Feb 1929, the War Department was directed to erect headstones and recognize confederate grave sites as U.S. War grave sites. When you remove a Confederate statue, monument or headstone, you are removing a statue, monument, or headstone of a U.S. veteran. What a wonderful challenge it would be for the College of William and Mary to teach students how to respectfully acknowledge, interact and learn from all our histories. This isn't about looking for something to be offended by ( i.e., the Confederate flag or other histories of the campus). This is about students deserving to learn in an institution that places more emphasis on teaching history than it does on hiding from its histories.

Not needed repairs

If anyone wants to see a complete waste of taxpayer money, just go out to Route 30 past Anderson's Corner. They are tearing up and replacing a road that was in good shape and didn't even have a pothole. Who can explain this waste of money? To top it off, they have blocked entry into Stonehouse Industrial Park. This has left hundreds of employees from the park with no directions on where to go and trucks trying to do illegal U turns. There has not been one policeman around during the busiest times for the employees. Shame on you.

Thank you

In need of a new watch battery, I went to the Williamsburg Radio Shack, hoping the store had not yet closed. Although the store signage and receipts still say "Radio Shack," both the Williamsburg and Yorktown stores are now under the same private, local ownership. The new name is "GizMoes." While there, I explained to Craig that I'm pleased the two electronics stores are remaining open and that I prefer to patronize locally owned establishments, as do quite a few other people. Both stores sell Steren and Radio Shack products. Call the Williamsburg store at 229-4157. In Yorktown, call 246-7534.

My car would not start recently after a visit to The Daily Donut on Richmond Road. Thanks to Madeleine at the Daily Donut, AAA Tidewater, Joe at J&R Towing, and Rob, Lania, and the entire Holiday Chevrolet/Cadillac service staff, I was back on the road in less than 90 minutes. Friendly, courteous, helpful people teamed up and created the best possible outcome. Thanks to all.

I just wanted to publicly thank James City County police office Tony Q for helping me so much Sunday when I fell off my bike. He was so nice, so professional and so helpful, taking the time to bandage my wounds and get me back on my feet. And sorry for all the swearing right after I hit the pavement, especially since it was right across from the Community Chapel.

While shopping in the Lightfoot area, my husband and I discovered Bellissimo Pizza Café, located in the shops in front of the Ross' department store, which is directed across the street from Sentara Williamsburg Hospital. In our opinion, they have the best pizza in this area. It is as close as you can get without traveling to New York.

We are EEE Resource Center, a nonprofit dedicated to serving adults with special needs in a day support program. Recently, we have been given gracious comments in the Last Word regarding our laundry service and we are very appreciative of the community's support and the bump in business. We rely on gifts, grants, and donations, as well as the income from our laundry service, to continue to provide a positive daily experience for our associates. We have a commercial grade laundry facility and specialize in large, bulky items like comforters and sleeping bags, but also do a great job on personal laundry. Give us a call at 345-2299 or stop by at 4548 John Tyler Hwy if we can be of service for your laundry needs.

Looking for ...

I am responding to someone asking about a piano tuner recently in the Last Word. Please tell her to go this web site pitchperfectpiano.com which will direct her to John. Highly recommended. Thank you

Josh Santore has relocated from Jim De's to his own hair salon located at 3356 Ironbound Road, near Five Forks. The phone number is (804) 832-3438. My wife and I have been with Josh for years. My wife thinks he's a great hair stylist; I think he's a great barber!

I am looking for someone to repair a grandmother's clock and a mantel clock. I spoke with someone in the Norge area several years ago but there was a very long wait time for him to even look at the clocks.

Help needed

The Watermen's Museum is seeking volunteers to serve as Docents/Guides and to assist in museum education programs, and help with facilities and grounds maintenance. Please help us by supporting the little maritime museum along the York River. You can contact us at 757-887-2641 or by email at: admin@watermens.org.

Deserving Rangers

The two women who completed Ranger training recently, 1st LT. Shaye Haver and CPT Kristen Griest, are exceptional soldiers and embody the true spirit and dedication of the Rangers, regardless of their gender. These women met the same standards as the men. They faced the same grueling marches, exhaustion, hunger and sleep deprivation as their male counterparts. The accusation that the President Obama or the U.S. Army set lower standards is patently false, and is only propagated by those who do not wish to see women in combat, or those who wrongly perceive that the standards have changed since they earned their Ranger tab. Addressing pundits who claimed the potential use of dual standards, Army Chief of Staff General Raymond Odierno emphasized that there was to be no altering of standards. Finally to suggest that all Rangers are not as great as they used to be because two exceptional women completed Ranger school is wrong and not only discredits the accomplishments of LT Haver and CPT Griest, but also all of their fellow male soldiers who worked so hard to serve their country as Rangers. Women have earned the right to serve in combat, as they have all aspects of the military.

Backward search

During a recent visit to Regal Theater, my wife's handbag/backpack was searched, per the signs outside the theater proclaiming the policy. At the same time, although wearing a shirt not tucked into my shorts, I was not searched. As the majority of people carrying handbags are women (statistic from my none PC observation) and the majority of the school, mall, church shooters are men (statistics from FBI), this seems an illogical way to ensure theatergoers' security. Imagine the scenario of the elderly woman, perhaps confined to a wheelchair, being searched while her grandson, pushing the chair walks into the theater armed and dangerous. Good luck with security, Regal Theater. But wait, perhaps the real reason for the handbag search is to catch moviegoers avoiding the exorbitant cost of refreshments by smuggling outside food and beverages into the theater.

Stop the killing

Another policeman has been killed today, on Sept. 1st, in the Chicago area, murdered down senselessly, just like the Texas policeman or deputy that was trying to put gas in his cruiser and was shot 15 times in cold blood. But yet, does the administration come out and say, "Ye shall not kill"? Police officers are protecting us, they are putting their lives at risk every single day for all of us and does the administration come out and say anything, that we need to quit this senseless killing? We have blacks killing blacks, whites killing whites, vice versa—blacks killing whites, whites killing blacks. We need to quit this senseless killing. They are destroying humans. We need to think about that.

So a member of the sheriff's department gets shot in head, execution style, 15 times, when he's at a gas pump. Then we have this big rally, anti-police, saying, "Fry like bacon." Are we going to charge the person with a hate crime? Are we going to charge those protesters if they do any harm, with hate crimes?

Again, nothing from the Obama Administration and its Justice Department on the latest "Hate Crime," a black man kills a white police officer, only reason because he's white. The black community is always claiming discrimination. Well, if this isn't discrimination by our Justice Department, I don't know what is.

Tarnished silver

I find it very amusing when our local newspapers, the Daily Press and The Virginia Gazette, use such phrases directed at our elected politician here. They refer to him as "our prominent attorney." Well, I think that term should be used very, very loosely. When you marry into and lick on a silver spoon, sometimes it gets tarnished. Somebody told me if you work on a farm and step in it, there you are.

Want to know ...

Can you tell me when the Junior Women's Casino Night is and how to purchase tickets? Editor's note: the event is Saturday, Oct. 17 from 7-11 p.m. Purchase tickets online at williamsburgjuniors.org

What is the exact location of the new Aldi's on Richmond Road and when is the projected opening? Editor's note: The store will be at 1508 Richmond Road, but we're not sure about when it will open.

About that email

Yes, I'm kind of confused with a lot of people saying—Hillary Clinton, did she not receive any classified emails? She must have received some. What happened to the classified emails? Where were they sent and where were they get? [??] Just wondering.